Cons

Stoves Richmond 550DF

The Stoves Richmond 550DF is very beautifully designed cooker that pairs impressive results with its appealing design. With an oven that cooks well and a hob that is extremely easy to control, the Stoves Richmond 550DF boast an A-grade energy efficiency rating meaning you won’t have to spend lots of money on your electricity bills.

Whilst the main fan oven has twin side lights, making it very easy to see your food inside, the interior of the oven is enamel, allowing for an aesthetically pleasing finish that is easy to clean. On the down side, literally, the 550DF's oven is very low down meaning if you’ve got a bad back, it might make it difficult to get things in and out. Fortunately, with the top grill doubling as a second oven, this is more than capable of standing in as a suitable option for cooking slightly smaller meals.

If you have children, you won’t have to worry about them burning themselves on the front of the oven with the Stoves Richmond 550DF playing host to cool door glass which bounces heat back into the oven so the door itself doesn’t get hot enough to become a burn risk to inquisitive fingers or clumsy bodies. The top oven doesn’t have a glass door, though — you have to open it to see what’s inside.

With a finish that makes the unit appear far more expensive than it actually is, the design of the Stoves Richmond 550DF is one that is sure to please with a strong, solid construction partnering with a selection of aesthetically pleasing traits. Adding function to the style, the 550DF's hob plays host to four gas burners, wok burner and hotplate all of which are covered by a beautiful cast iron lid with chrome handles. This doubles as a countertop when the hob isn’t in use.

One of the Stoves Richmond 550DF’s handy features is an LED clock and programmer. You only have to master three buttons to use this clock, but the instructions aren’t clear so you need to fiddle with it a bit. This is just a small problem, however, overall the Stoves Richmond 550DF is truly superb.